NOTE: As I complete the syllabus for Winter 2014, here is the syllabus for the course as offered in Winter 2013.
Requirements, Assignments, Lecture topics, schedule and work load will be similar in Winter 2014, but not exactly the same.

Gender and Society in Ancient Egypt, ACABS/WOMENSTD 487, 3 credit hours
Winter 2013

Note: This is a provisional syllabus for the course; exam and due dates will stay the same, but readings and discussion topics may be modified. The most recent version of the schedule, readings and announcements for the course can be found on the course CTools site.

Instructor: Prof. Terry Wilfong
Office: 4016 Thayert
Email (best means of contact): <twilfong@umich.edu>

Class description:

In this seminar, students will investigate gender in ancient Egyptian society. Using ancient sources, scholarly readings and archaeological data as seen through a variety of approaches, students will explore the definitions of gender in Egyptian society, gender roles and relations, and the impacts of status, religion, sexuality, ethnicity and other factors on ancient Egyptian understandings of gender. Course projects will include analysis of Egyptian literary texts and work on artifacts in the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. This course is intended for graduate students and upper-level undergraduates.

Class requirements:

* Attendance, advance preparation of readings and participation in discussions are mandatory. This is a 400-level seminar class, which means that readings and topics will be discussed in class by all students.
* Assigned readings must be done before class according to schedule.
* Exams must be taken on time, papers and assignments must be handed in by deadlines: no late exams or papers!
* Brief writing assignments for first half of term (=20% of grade)
* Midterm Exam (=30% of grade)
* Final paper and Presentation (=50% of grade)

Reading List
Note: All books should be available at UM Bookstores as well as online. The following are required for purchase:
* Gay Robins, Women in Ancient Egypt (ROBINS in the syllabus)
* Lynn Meskell, Archaeologies of Social Life in Ancient Egypt (=MESKELL in the syllabus)

 

Optional:
* William Kelly Simpson, Literature of Ancient Egypt (=SIMPSON in the syllabus): 3rd (2003) edition only!

 

There is also T. G. Wilfong, Women and Gender in Ancient Egypt: From Prehistory to Late Antiquity (1997) (=Wilfong 1997 in the syllabus), which will be made available to you in handout or electronic form.

There will also be online readings and/or handout readings, TBA

Provisional Schedule

1. January 9
ORIENTATION
*No readings

2. January 16
INTRODUCTION TO ANCIENT EGYPT AND CONCEPT OF GENDER
*Readings: Robins 11-20
Meskell 1-7
Wilfong 1997 8-16
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

3. January 23
GENDER, THE INDIVIDUAL AND FEMINIST HISTORY
*Readings: Meskell 8-106
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

4. January 30
WOMEN (AND MEN) IN ANCIENT EGYPT: POWER, ELITES AND THE LIFE CYCLE
*Readings Robins 21-91
Wilfong 1997 36-38
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

5. February 6
FAMILY, COMMUNITY, SPIRITUALITY AND DEATH IN ANCIENT EGYPT
*Readings Robins 92-175
Wilfong 1997 17-35, 39-57, 72-89
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

6. February 13
GENDER AND REPRESENTATION IN ANCIENT EGYPT: IMAGE AND TEXT
*Readings Robins 176-191
Wilfong 1997 17-19, 58-64
Simpson TBA
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

7. February 20
GENDER IN ARCHAEOLOGY: CASE STUDY AT DEIR EL MEDINA
*Readings: Meskell 107-226
Wilfong 1997 65-71
+ additional readings listed on assignment handout

8. February 27
MID-TERM EXAM

WINTER BREAK: NO CLASS

9. March 13: TBA

10. March 20
EXHIBITING GENDER
*Readings: TBA

11. March 27
GENDER IN THE MUSEUM
*Readings: TBA

12. April 3
PRESENTATIONS AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS AND GUIDES

13. April 10
PRESENTATIONS

14. April 17
PRESENTATIONS AND SUMMING-UP